Mainstreet Manager since August, Haradon was notified by the board earlier this week that he had been terminated.

Haradon reported to the board of Oxford Mainstreet Inc. headed by Director Ed Herr and President Ed Hershaw.

In a telephone interview Friday, Herr confirmed Haradon had been fired. Neither Haradon nor Herr would go into detail for why the board took the action, but a source indicated some businesses in the borough felt Haradon was pushing too aggressively for change.

Advertisement

“As a board, it was a good thing for Dave and for us,” Herr said, adding that he intends to meet with his executive committee Wednesday and with the full board Thursday.

“We’ll decide our options going forward,” Herr said. “When you have a key change in personnel, it’s a good time to reassess and review.”

Main Street programs are often established in small towns to make businesses more successful, bring in new businesses and create events to help bring more people into the shopping districts.

Haradon took over the Oxford program with great enthusiasm last summer, replacing his predecessor, Sue Cole, who had retired.

A former board member of the successful Kennett Square Main Street Association, Haradon said at the time he viewed Oxford as “a town on the verge of growth and renaissance.”

During his nine months on the job, he oversaw activities such as the Oxford Run, the Country Christmas and the Easter Egg Hunt, which he said were the best attended in the borough’s history.

He said he loves the town and would gladly return to it at any time.

He added, “I truly enjoyed my association with Oxford Mainstreet organization. Oxford is a wonderful community consisting of many caring people who want to see their community thrive and grow. I wish them the best in their endeavors and stand ready to help them achieve their objectives in any way I possibly can for the future.”

When Haradon started the job, he said he believed Oxford was not too far from where Kennett Square was at one time in terms of a turnaround, and that success was reached in Kennett by “a lot of work by a lot of people.”

Herr wished Haradon well as he moves forward in his career.

Herr said Haradon brought to Oxford awareness of the need for vision and enthusiasm. He said Haradon also set up active committees and brought energy and structure to projects.

About the Author

Chris Barber is the zone editor of the Avon Grove Sun. She is a lifelong resident of Kennett Square and a graduate of Unionville High School and Carleton College majoring in religion and minoring in astronomy. She is the founder of the Kennett Area YMCA. Reach the author at cbarber@21st-centurymedia.com
.